Object Record

Collection

Speer Collection

Catalog Number

1999.0001.0912

Object Name

Arrowshaft straightener

'Iipay Aa Name

kuupal kxenaatuuk

Description

A whole straightening stone, also known as an arrowshaft-straightener in Southern California archaeology. This unifacial stone was shaped in construction and is oval in shape. The stone material is steatite. It is fine grained.

This stone's ventral side has a single groove and a perforation at the top, narrow end. It is decorated or scored with 5 rows of hatch marks on the bottom side of the groove and two rows on the top, near the perforation. The top-half hatchmarks are less distinct due to wear. This stone's dorsal side is flat, smoothed and undecorated. The U-shaped groove on the surface suggest that this tool was used in back and forth movement. It is from the Late Prehistoric Period [1300-800 years ago], noted by the size of the groove, most likely for an arrowshaft. The stone tool has been shaped by abrading. The stone is fire-affected and there is dark oxidation or burned color on the ventral side. The single perforation at the end suggests the use of placing a stick or hook into the hole to pull the stone out of the fire when heated.